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The light brightened, flickering like moonlight caught in water. Drawn despite himself, he rose and moved toward it, boots quiet against moss and fallen leaves. The air seemed cooler here, tinged with something electric that prickled across his skin.

Nestled among the roots of an ancient tree lay the stone.

Its surface shimmered with a gentle, steady radiance, veins of light pulsing faintly beneath its smooth exterior. It was the same stone he had encountered before. The one that stirred strange thoughts and deeper longings within him.

The glow reflected across his hands as he crouched near it.

For a moment he simply watched it.

Then he exhaled shakily.

“I have no wish worth asking now,” he confessed quietly. “Not one that would mend what I have broken.”

Yet the stone’s light seemed to intensify, as if responding. Inviting. Urging.

Camden hesitated, torn between skepticism and the pull he could not fully explain. He closed his eyes, the memory of Anne’s tearful face rising sharp behind them.

“If there is power within ye…” he whispered, voice low with aching sincerity, “…let her ken the truth. Let her heart find peace, whether it leads her back to me or away. Help me.”

The clearing fell utterly still.

And the stone glowed brighter.

Chapter Twenty-One

Anne knew she had stayed at Effie’s home longer than propriety allowed, yet neither Effie nor her parents made her feel unwelcome. The familiar comforts of the mill house soothed her. The scent of baking bread. The soft clatter of dishes. The steady hum of voices that wrapped around her like a warm blanket.

When Effie’s mother and father returned from working at the mill, they greeted Anne warmly, their smiles kind and reassuring. If they noticed her swollen eyes or the tightness in her voice, they were gracious enough not to mention it. Anne was deeply grateful for their gentleness. Since losing their own parents, she and Gowan had always found kindness in this home.

Not wishing to seem rude, she accepted their invitation to stay for supper. They had just settled around the table when the door opened and Gowan stepped inside.

Effie’s parents welcomed him with delight, insisting he join them. Immediately Gowan’s curious gaze searched her face, an expression darkening his features even as he fell into conversation with Effie’s father about mill orders. He had come looking for her. She was certain of it.

When the meal ended and they stepped into the cool evening air, Anne’s reluctance returned. The fading sunlight brushed the sky in gold and rose, and the scent of grain and river mist drifted around them. Her heart was heavy, exhaustion settling, as she waited for Gowan’s questions. She didn’t have the energy to lie.

They had not walked far before Gowan spoke. “Camden came to see me earlier. We talked.”

Anne stopped short, surprise tightening her chest. “Wh-what about?”

Gowan continued forward, forcing her to follow. “He told me he wishes to court ye. Intended to speak with me this morning.” He glanced sideways. “He looked a sorry sight. Bruised, filthy, barely steady on his feet. Claims he was lured to the shack, struck on the head, and drugged with herbs.”

Anne released a sharp, disbelieving breath, shaking her head. “And also tricked into removing his clothing and spending the night there?” Bitterness edged her words making her voice sound shrill. “I ken what I saw, Gowan.”

Her brother’s expression softened with understanding. “Aye. That was my first response as well. So I let him speak his piece…”

He paused, “…before I considered planting my fist into his face.”

Anne blinked. “Considered?”

He gave her a sidelong look. “Temptation passed after hearing what he had to say.”

At least their friendship had not been ruined. Despite it all, she didn’t wish for Gowan to lose one of his closest friends. But she did expect Gowan to be a bit more reluctant to accept Camden’s explanation. “Ye believed him. He is yer friend after all.”

“I want to believe him. But no one is more important than ye, Anne,” Gowan replied carefully. “I do believe Moyra is capable of scheming and doing what Camden claims. She cannae be trusted, ye ken this.”

Anne folded her arms, thoughtful now rather than angry. “It seems strange that ye and Effie so readily agree on this. Ye are both known for yer lack of easy trust.”

Gowan’s brows shot up. “That Effie agrees with me on something, now that is unsettling.”